WORLD OF ENGLISH

As you know, a noun is a person, place or thing, and an adjective is a word that describes a noun:

 

adjective                            noun

clever                                 teacher

small                                  office

black                                  horse

 

Sometimes we use a noun to describe another noun. In that case, the first noun "acts as" an adjective:

 

noun as adjective             noun

history                                teacher

ticket                                   office

race                                     horse

 

The "noun as adjective" always comes first. If you remember this it will help you to understand what is being talked about:

 

• a race horse is a horse that runs in races

• a horse race is a race for horses

• a boat race is a race for boats

• a love story is a story about love

• a war story is a story about war

• a tennis ball is a ball for playing tennis

• tennis shoes are shoes for playing tennis

• a computer exhibition is an exhibition of computers

• a bicycle shop is a shop that sells bicycles

 

​NOTE: If there is a plural it is on the real noun only!